The Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites, Sheikh Ibrahim El-ZakZaky and his wife, Zeenat are back in Nigeria after their botched medical trip to India.

The couple arrived at exactly 12.00 noon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight with the airport virtually cordoned off by security men. This came barely 96 hours after arriving at the Medenta Hospital in New Delhi, India.

The Islamic cleric turned down  his long-sought treatment in India due to what he claimed to be excessive gagging by security operatives attached to the hospital. He alleged that the Nigerian government and the United States were mounting pressure on India to frustrate his treatment. He claimed that the Federal Government frustrated all efforts to get their preferred doctors to attend to him and his wife.

The IMN had also in a statement signed and issued by its President, Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa blamed the alleged interference by the Federal Government for the scuttling of the IMN leader’s planned treatment.

The group said the decision to leave India was because of El-Zakzaky’s refusal to succumb to imposition of medical treatment by the Nigerian security forces in collaboration with their Indian colleagues.

 “Following lack of breakthrough in the impasse that ensued in the treatment in New Delhi of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, it is now confirmed that the Sheikh is on his way back to Abuja.

“The Nigerian government’s interference and scuttling of the whole process rather than supervision as ordered by the court is the direct cause of the impasse. The government never wanted the medical leave in the first place and did whatever to stop it by all means possible,” the group alleged.

The FG had earlier refuted El-Zakzaky’s allegations, stating that he attempted to violate the conditions of his treatment by making unreasonable demands including insisting on lodging in a five-star hotel in New Delhi with free access to all manner of visitors.